DISCOVERING
TUCSON
by Rich Rubin
At first glance, Tucson doesn’t look
like much, despite its perfect mountain backdrop, some
interesting nineteenth-century Western architecture, a
lot of strip malls, and a sprawling, very Southwestern
setup. Then you explore a little more. The buildings might
not look like prize-winners, but step inside. You’ll
find a gorgeous restaurant, a gallery full of cutting-edge
work, a design store with an international collection,
or a funky coffeehouse. There’s a relaxed, unhurried
quality that’s appealing, and that’s how you
have to take Tucson. Explore the natural wonders surrounding
the city, and indulge in the pleasures this sprawling
and lovable town has to offer. It’s not going to
jump out and grab you, like New York or Chicago. It’s
going to sit there and wait for you to realize that not
only is there more here than meets the eye, but that the
“more” is actually amazingly pleasurable.
Best of all, Tucson is a gay-friendly
city. “I can’t imagine a place on earth that’s
better for a gay couple to move to,” says Jeff
DiGrigorio, who moved here from the East Coast with
his partner Chuck Bressi to open the wonderful Royal
Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast Inn. “I wouldn’t
even say it’s `gay-friendly,’” notes
Jeff, “It’s gone beyond that.” At dinner
that night at Poca Cosa, Jeff and Chuck sit with
arms casually thrown around each other, and as I look
around there isn’t a single glare or problem. This
shouldn’t come as a surprise: Tucson was the first
major city in the US to offer GLBT protection in its
local ordinances, Jeff tells me. It also, he says, has
the sixth-largest GLBT community center in the country
and a GLBT population of 14%. This has an interesting
effect on the nightlife. As Jeff notes, “Our gay
bars are almost unnecessary. They’re almost a holdover
from another area. You can go anywhere and be comfortable,
so what you often find in the gay bars is a very young
crowd, or an older crowd who feels more comfortable
in that setting.”
I find myself more attracted to Tucson’s
“day life,” and there’s so much on tap
I’m surprised travelers, especially GLBT travelers,
have left it somewhat undiscovered. This liberal enclave
in conservative Arizona is a remarkable city that is
for some reason not on so many people’s radar.
Sitting among some of the country’s most majestic
scenery, there’s a laid-back nature to the town
that means its attractions don’t jump out at you,
but rather wait to be discovered. This is particularly
true of the downtown area, a nightlife, dining, and
business destination with restaurants galore and over
a dozen performance venues.
Before we go wandering, we have to get
you checked in at a hotel. You have some prime choices.
If you’re looking for a downtown experience, you
can’t do better than the Royal Elizabeth.
Owners Jeff and Chuck, who gave up high-power careers
on the East Coast to move to Tucson and open the “Liz,”
traveled enough for business that they know what travelers
like. Parking, phone calls (both local and long-distance),
Internet, and drinks (alcoholic and non-) are free.
Rooms are large, individually-designed, and remarkably
comfortable, some with sunny little sitting rooms off
the main bedroom. The pool area offers the perfect combination
of sun and shade and a quiet, restful setting. Most
noteworthy is the graciousness of your hosts. Need a
dining suggestion? They’re on it. Nightlife possibilities?
Happy to offer some. Want them to join you for dinner?
Just ask. Prefer to be left alone? They can do that
too. The Liz hearkens back to the days when bed and
breakfast spots offered a level of attention that was
lacking in the big hotels, and a more beautifully-run
place you can’t imagine.
For a very different experience, Hacienda
del Sol is also a winner. Built as a girls’
school in the early twentieth century, this alluring
guest ranch in the foothills on the northern edge of
town preserves its old feel while offering free broadband
Internet, horseback riding, full spa services, and one
of the best restaurants in Tucson. Try and get a casita,
as they’re unbelievably comfy, like settling into
your own Tucson home. The place has obviously been done
with love, from the burgeoning gardens—most of
the herbs used in the restaurant are grown on property—to
the details in the lodgings.
If you’re looking for a more spa-oriented
vacation, Tucson boasts two of the best in the country.
Canyon Ranch is famous as an upscale healing
retreat, in a gorgeous setting, where you not only get
any soothing, energizing, healing, or pampering treatment
your body might desire, but where you can enjoy hikes,
workshops, cooking demonstrations, and eat fabulously
good-for-you food. You might also choose Loews Ventana
Canyon, on 100 acres of land in the foothills, it’s
a full-service resort complete with fine dining, golf,
tennis, and two pools with Jacuzzis. The rooms might
be gorgeous, but even the luxurious furnishings take
a backseat to that view out the windows!
After choosing your accommodations,
it’s time to discover downtown Tucson. I begin
my journey where Tucson began, in the blocks surrounding
the ruins of the Presidio, the eighteenth-century
fort where you’ll now see reconstructions of early
Tucson life. Grab a walking tour brochure from the tourist
office and check out some of the vintage homes in the
area. The Tucson Museum of Art is located in
this area, with wonderful collections of pre-Columbian
and Western art as well as a contemporary section. If
you want to take your art home, visit Old Town Artisans,
an eclectic collection of shops that borders on the
touristy but still offers some high quality work, particularly
ceramics.
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A different world awaits on Fourth
Avenue, just a fifteen minute walk away, it’s
Tucson’s counter-culture, East Village-y area, lined
with low-slung houses holding a wide variety of hip businesses.
I pass a tattoo shop, a Guatemalan restaurant, and a metaphysical
supply store. Incense wafts out the open door of Hippie
Gypsy. Public garbage cans are fashioned from old
gears, metal bits, and other recycled objects. As I walk,
a voice behind me proclaims, “Take away my will and
guide my relationships.” I wheel around—is he
speaking to me? The universe? No, he’s talking on
a cell phone, though who is on the other end of the line
I can only imagine. I walk by Tangaroa Sea and Jungle
Shop, and a hair salon called The Coyote Wore Sideburns.
Meanwhile, a fab mannequin with white fringed dress and
electric blue wig greets me from the window of Desert
Vintage and Costume.
If you’re into caffeine, you’ll
be in heaven on Fourth Avenue, and I stop in no less
than six coffee places. At Chocolate Iguana,
I sit at a purple trapezoidal table, sipping espresso
as I look out past their nice patio section to the boutique
Creations, the nightlife venue Plush, and
a Dairy Queen. Something about that is so totally Tucson
that I smile. In Casbah Tea House, a long patio
leads to a room draped in fabric, and the vegetarian
food is supplemented by organic coffee and a wide range
of teas. More caffeinated delights await in tiny Café
Passe, with a scattering of indoor tables and a
huge patio, perfect for warm Tucson days. At Epic,
the staff is so nice (“have a totally awesome day”),
the East Coaster in me wonders if they’re being
sarcastic. In addition to the usual range of coffee
drinks, you can choose a ginger steamer or Mayan chai
latte, perhaps with an apple/walnut/spice or raspberry/rhubarb
scone (this city is like scone central).
I’m on a roll. I head to Rainbow
Planet Coffeehouse, where I get my espresso at a
counter that holds “Damn That’s Good Chocolate
Cake” and “The Best Ever Vegan Date Bar.”
This is the comfiest of the coffeehouses, with deep
red walls, couches, and small round tables. Shelves
hold information about yoga, Pride 2008, a B&D club,
an LGBT writers’ group, and an announcement of
the International Drag King Extravaganza, coming to
Tucson in 2009. Then it’s on to B-Line,
known for their fabulous pies. From raspberry/rhubarb,
four berry, apple, and peach, I choose the first, and
it’s amazing, sweet/tart, with a thick crust, the
fresh fruit flavor bursting from it. A sign about credit
card minimums begins “Beloved customers...”
Is this city for real?
Continued
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